OneDrive File Issues

Fix OneDrive Throttling Errors Despite Low Request Volume

Tauseeq Magsi Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users encounter unexpected OneDrive throttling and slow access affecting general usage and Power Automate flows, despite having a very low volume of requests.

How to Fix OneDrive Throttling Errors Despite Low Request Volume

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Accessing files stored in OneDrive or running Power Automate flows connected to OneDrive.
Observed behavior: OneDrive returns throttling errors and significantly slows down file access operations, even when the actual request volume is far below standard rate limits.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to the Microsoft 365 admin center or know how to contact your organization's IT administrator to check tenant-wide service statuses.

Solution 1Recommended

Check the Microsoft 365 Service Health Dashboard

Use this method to verify if the throttling is caused by an ongoing Microsoft service incident rather than your account's actual usage.

During widespread Microsoft service incidents, backend performance degradation can trigger artificial throttling across the tenant, regardless of your personal request volume.

Log into the Admin Center

Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center website and log in using an administrator account.

Open Service Health

In the left-hand navigation menu, click on Health and select Service health.

Review Active Incidents

Check the dashboard for any active incidents or advisories specifically affecting OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online.

Wait for Resolution

If a service incident is listed, Microsoft is actively working on it. Monitor the updates and wait for Microsoft to resolve the issue to restore normal service speeds.

Check the Microsoft 365 Service Health Dashboard

Automated Retries: Power Automate flows experiencing throttling during a documented service incident will typically retry their actions automatically once the service is restored.

Solution 2

Open a Service Request to Review Tenant Logs

If no widespread service incident is reported on the dashboard, Microsoft Support needs to review your tenant logs to identify the specific root cause of the throttling.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I getting throttled on OneDrive with low request volume?

Throttling during periods of low request volume is almost always caused by a backend Microsoft service incident or server degradation. This temporarily lowers the performance threshold for all users in the affected tenant, mistakenly flagging standard traffic as excessive.

Will my Power Automate flows fail permanently due to this throttling?

Usually, no. Power Automate is designed to handle temporary '429 Too Many Requests' errors by using an exponential backoff strategy. This means the system will automatically pause and retry the action once the OneDrive service stabilizes.

Does syncing a Mac with OneDrive for Business cause instant throttling?

Adding a OneDrive for Business account to a Mac does not generate enough natural traffic to trigger rate limits by itself. If heavy throttling occurs immediately after setting it up, it is highly likely related to a broader concurrent Microsoft 365 service incident.

Document & File Issues